Join The International Gifted Consortium (IGC) at The European Council for High Ability (ECHA) Conference, Dublin, Ireland, August 12-15, 2026. echa2026.com

We will be presenting Highly and Profoundly Gifted Development, Educational Needs, and Well-Being: The latest research on Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 1pm echa2026.com/programme/

With colleagues from: Johns Hopkins University, Purdue University, College of William & Mary and Davidson Academy Online.

In this panel discussion/symposium we will be examining the latest research on highly and profoundly gifted children and adolescents from around the globe. The overarching theme will center on well-being.

Through the latest empirical research, we will discuss the psychological and developmental well-being of highly and profoundly gifted youth. We will explore the current state of accessibility to well-being for highly- profoundly gifted children offered in our schools. And, based on the research, we will lead a global conversation with audience participation on the gold standards for meeting the developmental and educational needs, the well-being, of K-12 highly and profoundly gifted students.

Research topics include:

–family history and parental roles;

–social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and altruistic-moral development and developmental milestones;

–positive and negative social-environmental influences;

–educational programming and learning modalities;

–and overexcitability profiles.

Prevalence of Emotional, Intellectual, Imaginational, Psychomotor, and Sensual Overexcitabilities in Highly and Profoundly Gifted Children and Adolescents: A Mixed-Methods Study of Development and Developmental Potential

Vanessa R. Wood,* *The International Gifted Consortium (IGC), Research Center Highly—Profoundly Gifted, Lorraine Bouchard,* Els De Wit,* Suzanne P. Martinson,* Peter Van Petegem, University of Antwerp

This study examined the prevalence of the five forms of overexcitability in children ages 4–13 years who were previously identified as highly or profoundly gifted via a Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) score of 140+. The prevalence of overexcitabilities included an examination of development, developmental milestones, lived experiences, and developmental potential according to Dabrowski’s human development theory. The results of this study provided an estimate of the prevalence and distinct types of overexcitability among highly—profoundly gifted young people. The mixed-methods study included 88 study participants (parents) from the United States and Belgium who completed the Overexcitabilities Questionnaire II, Adapted (OEQ II, Adapted), the Development and Family History Questionnaire, and a semi-structured interview. The most prevalent OE profile was all five forms of overexcitability—emotional, intellectual, imaginational, psychomotor, and sensual—exhibited a lot of the time or most of the time. Universal screening is recommended for all children entering kindergarten.

Navigating Intensity and Isolation: Parents’ Lived Experiences Supporting the Social-Emotional Development of Highly and Profoundly Gifted Children

Keri M. Guilbault, Johns Hopkins University

Parents of highly and profoundly gifted (HG/PG) children often navigate complex social-emotional challenges alongside their children’s exceptional cognitive development. This qualitative study explored parents’ lived experiences supporting the social-emotional development of HG/PG children during the early elementary years. Using an interpretive phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 parents of children aged eight and under who had been formally identified as highly to profoundly gifted (IQ ≥ 145). Thematic analysis revealed four interconnected themes: seeking community and support, misunderstanding and misconceptions of HG/PG children, social-emotional complexity and intensity, and the need for intentional nurturing during early schooling. Parents described feelings of isolation, advocacy fatigue, and limited understanding from educational and social systems, alongside heightened emotional intensity and asynchronous development in their children. Findings highlight the critical importance of informed partnerships among families, educators, and counselors and offer practical implications for strengthening social-emotional supports for HG/PG learners and their families.

Perspectives of Parents of Highly and Profoundly Gifted Children Regarding Competence, Belonging, and Support Within a Sociocultural Context

Becky Johnson, Purdue University, Anne N. Rinn, *University of North Texas, Glory Yeung,* Rachel U. Mun,* Glorry Yeung*

This phenomenological study investigated the experiences of parents of highly and profoundly gifted children. Specifically, parents’ perspectives were considered within developmental and sociocultural contexts. Purposive sampling was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with 11 parents who are members of organizations which serve highly and profoundly gifted children. Data were analyzed using a six-step approach to thematic analysis. Analysis of the data revolted the following eight themes: including (a) self-efficacy within sociocultural contexts; (b) feelings of confidence; (c) roles in fulfilling children’s needs; (d) decisions and actions related to children’s giftedness; (e) development of the parent/child dyads; (f) sense of belonging within the larger community; (g) impact of Covid-19 pandemic on their child’s gifted education; and (h) resources needed to facilitate children’s social-emotional and academic needs. Implications inform educators, counselors, and communities of the lived experiences of parents and their need for a sense of support and belonging.

Openness to Experience and Overexcitabilities in a Sample of Highly Gifted Middle School Students 

Shelagh Gallagher, College of William & Mary

A sample of 108 highly gifted middle school students participated in a study of the relationships between Big Five factors and overexcitabilities. Students completed the NEO-FFI and Overexcitabilities Questionnaire II (OEQ -II). A cutoff score applied to the OEQ-II created a threshold for overexcitability, ensuring only extreme responses. Analysis groups were based on the cutoff score. An analysis of variance assessed differences in students’ NEO-FFI scores according to the number of OEs they reported. Students with three or more overexcitabilities had significantly higher scores on NEO-FFI opens to experience than students with fewer overexcitabilities. Gifted females had significantly higher score on NEO-FFI neuroticism scale than gifted males. The results hold implications for understanding the academic and social-emotional needs of highly gifted students and justify use of the Big Five model and overexcitabilities together to further understand the relationship between intelligence, personality, and giftedness.

Profoundly Gifted Students’ Perceptions of Virtual Classrooms

Jessica Potts, Davidson Academy Online

The intent of this case study is to understand profoundly gifted (PG) students’ perceptions of virtual programs. The participants were five PG students who were enrolled in a virtual writing course hosted by a school that serves the PG population. The researcher gathered data via online discussion boards, observations of synchronous live sessions, and individual interviews with participants. The participants reported a preference for frequent interactions with classmates and the instructor, but expressed concern about the lack of social opportunities. While technical difficulties did occur, these were mostly due to operator error or disuse of available tools. In terms of curriculum and pedagogy, the participants saw little difference between brick-and-mortar and virtual classrooms, suggesting that for PG students, the quality of the content and instruction outweighs the realities of the learning environment. This information can be used either to improve online gifted education or create new programs, thus diversifying opportunities.

Access to Well-Being for Gifted and Highly–Profoundly Gifted Students: An International Literature Review Study

Call-to-Action Presentation

Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 3pm

Vanessa R. Wood, The International Gifted Consortium (IGC), Research Center Highly–Profoudly Gifted

Through an international literature review, we will examine access to well-being for gifted and highly—profoundly gifted children and adolescents. We will explore the intersection and social responsibility of human development, education, and well-being. From the literature, we will consider the unique psychosocial development and learning differences found in highly—profoundly gifted students, and the availability of programs designed to meet these distinct educational and developmental differences. We will summarize the psychological benefits for providing access to well-being for school-aged highly—profoundly gifted students. And, we will discuss the most prevalent recommendations for increasing accessibility for this population including partnerships. Partnerships among stakeholders including parents, teachers, counselors, psychologists, and other healthcare providers are essential for greater accessibility to well-being for our highly—profoundly gifted students.

Project: Gifted Well-Being — an International Gifted Consortium Partnership Program